Improvement in racks for holding and exhibiting shoes



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. PRIEST. Rack for Holding aind Exhibiting Shoes.

No. 204,2 49. Patented May 28,1878.

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WITNESSES; 4 I I INVENT R'.

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2 Sheets-SheetZ.

J. PRIEST. Rack for Holding and Exhibiting Shoes. N .2O4,249

Patented May 28,1878.

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I Toni WITNESSES:

.IFZMINVE ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

JOHNSON PRIEST, OF L'YNN, MASS AOHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMEN T IN RACKS FOR HOLDING AND EXHIBITING SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,249, dated May 28,1878 applicationfiled March 9, 1878.

To all whom it may concerh:

juseful Improvements in Shoe-Horses, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification:

My invention relates tothe construction of portable or movable horses orracks for use in boot and shoe factories, for supporting shoes duringthe operation of finishing the soles and heels, and for use inexhibiting boots and shoes in shoe'stores, and for other purposes; andit consists in constructing said horse or rack of two tapering uprights,each provided with one flat side, and set in a horizontal sill or foot,extending at right angles thereto to form a sufficient width of base torender the horse or stand self-supportin g, and one or more horizontaltie-bars, provided at each end with a socket or eye to receive saidtapering uprights,

as will be further described.

My invention further consists in the combination of a portable stand orrack made up of one or more horizontal bars and two uprights, all in thesame vertical plane, supported in suitable horizontal bases or feet,extending at right angles to said uprights, and horizontal bars torender the horse or stand self-supporting, and one or more separate andindependent racks or frames, provided with horizontal bars or rods tosupport the goods, and with two or more hooks adapted to engage withsaid central or main frame to support said independent rack or framethereon, and adapted to be readily detached therefrom at the will of theoperator, as will be further described.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan of my improved shoe-horse complete.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with one of the detachable racksor frames removed. Fig. 3 is an end view of the device complete. Fig. 4is a vertical section on line as w on Figs. 2 and 5. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section on line y 3 on Figs. 2, 3, and 4; and Fig. 6 is avertical section, similar to Fig. 4, illustrating a modification in themanner of suspending the detachable racks or frames.

A A are two uprights, made preferably round, with a flat place formedupon the inner side of each, and with their upper portions taperingtoward their upper ends, said uprights being firmly secured in thehorizontal sills or feet B B, in the under sides of which are set thecasters 0 0.

D D are two wooden bars, provided at each end with the metal straps E orE, firmly bolted or riveted to the end thereof, after be ing bent to theproper form to embrace and fit the tapering portion of the upright A, asshown, the size of the sockets upon each bar being made to fit thatportion of said upright which is at the point where it is desired tolocate the bar, and the end of each bar being cut square and fitted tobear against the flat side of said uprights to prevent them from beingrotated within said straps.

This construction of the central frame or horse enables me to make avery strong and serviceable frame, capable of being readily and easilydisconnected and packed away in a small compass when not desired foruse.

Such frames as heretofore used in shoe-shops have been framed togetherby means of mortise and tenon, and, as a consequence, were liable tobecome weak in the joints unless they were braced, and the braces wereobjectionable .as being in the way of the shoes. when hung over the barsby the string connecting the pair together at the heel, in the usualmanner of using such stands or horses.

By this construction the use of braces is entirely obviated, and theframe is much stronger than the frames heretofore in use.

F F are twoindependent and separate rackframes, each made up of two endpieces, a a, connected together by two or more pairs of rods, b I), andeach provided with two or more hooks, c 0, adapted to engage with eyes d(I, set in the sides of the bars D D, for the purpose of suspending saidracks upon the central frame or horse, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the hooks e are set in the bars D D,and the frames F F are suspended by resting one or more of the rods b 12upon said hooks, as shown.

In finishing the soles and heels of boots and shoes several operationshave to be performed in different parts of the room, during which it isdesirable to keep the boots or shoes from being rubbed together, so asto chafe or injure one another hence it is customary to place them upontheir bottoms on racks or shelves as they leave the hand of theoperator, at each stage or after each operation, till they arecompletely finished; and when they are dried and fastened together atthe heels, they are thrown over the bars D D, and suspended thereon bythe connecting-strin g, in a well-known manner.

The advantage of having the racks or frames F F detachable from thecentral or supporting horse is that one rack may be detached and removedto another stand or another part of the shop while the remaining rack isbeing filled, thus facilitating the work.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. The combination, in a portable or movable shoe-horse, of two taperinguprights, each provided with one flat side, and set inhorizontal1y-extending sills or feet, and one or more horizontal bars,provided at each end with a socket or eye adapted to receive and embraceone of said uprights, said eye or socket being shaped to fit and bearagainst the flat side of said uprights to prevent them from turningtherein, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination, in a portable shoe-horse or other goods-exhibitingstand, of two tapering uprights, A A, each provided with one fiat side,one or more horizontal bars, D D, each having its end-s shaped to fitand bear against said flat side of the uprights, and provided at eachend with a metal strap, E or E, firmly bolted or otherwise securedthereto, and formin g a socket to receive and embrace one of saiduprights, and the horizontally-projecting sills or feet B B, to supportthe rack or frame in an upright position, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a portable goods-exhibiting horse or standcomposed of two uprights set in horizontally-proj ecting sills or feet,and one or more horizontal bars connecting said uprights, one or moreseparate racks or frames, F, each composed of two end pieces, a a, andtwo or more pairs of bars or rods, 22 b, and provided with two or morehooks, a 0, adapted to engage with and support said frame F upon saidcentral goods-exhibiting horse or stand, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

4. The combination of a shoe-horse or other goods-exhibiting standcomposed of two uprights set in suitable bases or feet and connected byone or more horizontal bars or rods, provided with two or more eyes orsockets, d d, and one or more separate racks or stands, F, each providedwith two or more hooks, c c, firmly secured thereto, and adapted toengage with the eyes 01 11, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

Executed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 7th day of March, A. D. 1878.

JOHNSON PRIEST.

Witnesses:

N. C. LOMBARD, G. H. Dom).

